Lionheart
by Brave Often
Summary: With the disappearance of his father, a young boy named Noah Fletcher took to the streets of Magnolia. An old man named Makarov found him and took him in. 12 years later, he is now an S-class wizard. Widely known as courageous, cunning, and kind, he has made a name for himself throughout Fiore. A new member joins Fairy Tail, and he finds himself falling for her. OCxLucy.
1. Chapter 1: New Recruit

Chapter 1: New Recruit

Noah was coming back from a particularly difficult solo quest. He suffered only minor injuries, had an unbelievable headache from when he took a blow to the head, and was forced to use most of the reward money to pay for damages to the town he saved._ I definitely pulled a Natsu_, he thought to himself as he ran his hand through his brown hair. He kicked a rock across the street, frustrated, and listened to it skip over the cobblestone street.

He had faced off against dozens of lizardmen who were terrorizing a small town named Pyron Village a ways east from Magnolia. He thought he had it handled until he came face to face with the largest, angriest lizardman he'd ever seen, undoubtedly their leader. It's skin was surprisingly durable and he had trouble penetrating it. After a few unsuccessful requips, he finally found victory with his Abyssal armor and one of his favorite swords: Brightroar. The blade burst into flames and obliterated the creature. Not before causing heavy damages however. Noah went a little overboard.

The guild came into view and he smiled. Fairy Tail, his home. It had been his home since he was 8 years old.

His father was a Rune Knight, and all he ever wanted was to be one too. He taught Noah about magic and told him stories about the Knights he served with. Noah admired him and his comrades to no end. But one day, his grandpa Rob disappeared. Besides his mother and father, his grandpa was all the family he had. Grandpa Rob always showed him his fire magic and tried to help Noah find his magic power buried within himself. He claimed he could feel it's prescence within Noah, but he could never make it physically appear. He was too young to understand the art of magic then. He told him stories about Fairy Tail and all the trouble they caused. The stories made him laugh until his stomach hurt. His grandpa was a mischievous man when he was younger, and he had passed it down to him.

When grandpa Rob disappeared, his father was devastated. Being the courageous knight that he was, he went to look for him when the authorities found nothing. His father kissed him and his mother goodbye and told them he'd be back soon with Grandpa Rob. Not months later, his mother came down with a deadly illness. He cared for her all he could, but she passed away in her sleep peacefully a couple months after. His father had been gone 6 months by then. Noah was on his own and only 8 years old. He eventually took to the streets and became a petty thief. He mastered pickpocketing, lying, and stealing. It was how he survived for a few months until he came across a short old man.

_Flashback_

_8 year old Noah Fletcher saw him as an easy target. He was a small old man, whistling, seemingly oblivious to the world. He zeroed in on a wallet in his back pocket, no doubt filled with money that would buy him his food tonight. He grinned, thinking of the sweets shop just down the street. He started to follow the old man. He took every corner, shortcut, and alleyway that the man did, carefully leaving space between them so he wouldn't notice him lurking. He waited patiently for the perfect opportunity. When he was satisfied with his surroundings and the lack of possible witnesses around, he made his move. However, as soon as he got within two feet of the man, he suddenly sprouted into a giant and turned around._

_"What are you trying to do you brat?! You think I couldn't sense you coming?!" He screamed. Noah fell backwards and instead of looking down at the old man he was now looking up at him, completely terrified._

_"Sensed me? How?" He asked, genuinely curious. He knew he was quiet. He wasn't wearing shoes and walked on the balls of his feet. His breathing was noiseless and his clothes were nicely fitted which allowed no shuffling noises. He hadn't even reached for the wallet yet! How had this old man known he was there? He was basically his shadow. He had practiced this numerous times and had succeeded._

_The man shrunk back to normal size. "I sensed your magic power. Not that there's much of it." He snorted. "You've been following me."_

_"I don't know how to use magic, old geezer." Noah retorted. The old man reminded him of his grandpa. He would always say he could sense his magic, even if Noah couldn't manifest it. He told him in order to be able to use his magic power freely, he had to believe with his heart and in himself. He had to believe that his magic existed, and then he would be able to use it. He had to believe in himself and his magic power. _

_The old man raised his eyebrow. "What's wrong, boy?" He asked. Noah was taken aback. In his own world and suddenly engulfed by the thoughts of his grandpa and the rest of his family, his eyes had begun to fill with tears and he hadn't noticed._

_"My grandpa used to say the same thing." He admitted, then shrugged. He wiped his tears away and toughened up. "You gonna get a guard or what, old man?" He asked hesitantly, but defiant nonetheless._

_The old man chuckled. "I don't think that's necessary. What's your name boy?"_

_"Noah."_

_"Noah what?" He asked, amused._

_"Fletcher."_

_The old man stiffened, suddenly serious. "Is your grandpa named Rob by any chance?"_

_And that's how it all started. The old man was named Makarov Dreyar, and he was the master of the Fairy Tail guild, the same guild his grandpa was a member of. Makarov had no leads in the disappearance of his old friend. He took Noah in and helped him find his magic power. He soon found that he could use requip magic. He saved up money to buy new swords and sets of armor by doing odd jobs around Magnolia. His magic allowed him to feel like a true knight like his father. The type of requip magic he used had been labeled "The Knight" and he absolutely loved it. He studied other types of magic in the guild's library and developed an overwhelming interest in light magic. He absorbed everything that he could. He became good friends with Makarov's grandson, Laxus, and a girl named Cana Alberona. He sparred with them frequently. _

_About a year later, a girl named Erza appeared at the guild. Noah could tell she had been through something truly traumatizing. She had a bandage over her eye and hardly spoke to anyone. He and a boy named Gray Fullbuster had attempted to befriend her to no avail. That same night, Makarov came to Noah and told him that Erza had met his grandpa Rob, and that he had given his life for her at a place she called The Tower of Heaven. He was speechless, sad, and confused. Why was his grandpa at some tower? And if grandpa Rob was dead, where was his dad? He ran out of the guild and through the streets of Magnolia until he reached his old house. Inside it was dirty and lifeless; nobody had been here in months, and Noah didn't exactly clean when he stayed here alone. He collapsed to his knees and sobbed until the tears wouldn't come. He always expected the worst, but now that it was confirmed he had nothing of his family to hold onto. Just this lifeless, rotting house. His grandpa was dead, as was his mother, and his father was gone on a hopeless mission and had yet to make any contact with Noah. It was very likely that something happened to him too. Noah had no family left. _

_No, he thought to himself, I have Fairy Tail._

Present

He walked into the guild and immediately observed that a brawl was starting. Natsu Dragneel, a very close friend of his, was leading the brawl, which was not surprisinging. He was giving Krov a serious ass-beating, undoubtedly well deserved. He'd have to get in there and help him out.

Innocently standing in the middle of the brawl was someone he'd never seen before. _A new member_? He thought to himself. She was facing away from him but he could see that she had blonde, shoulder length hair and curves in all the right places. She was wearing a white and blue sleeveless shirt with black high heeled boots. He admired her body as he walked over to the bar. He ordered a drink and took his usual seat next to Cana, who was already sipping on a glass of what appeared to be wine. The beautiful card magic user silently acknowledged him.

"How'd the job go?" She asked between gulps.

"I fucking hate lizardmen." He stated before taking a sip of his beer. She chuckled quietly.

When he first arrived at Fairy Tail, Cana Alberona was one of the first friends he made. She was one of the only members around his age and he was immediately drawn to her. She was about two years younger than him at the time, but they got along well. Her card magic fascinated him. The only magic he had been exposed to was his Grandpa Rob's and the everyday magic sold in shops. The other members of Fairy Tail possessed some truly unique magic - some he never could have imagined.

"So Natsu finally made it back huh?!" A black haired, shirtless Mage yelled.

"Gray, you're clothes." Cana said. Noah smirked.

"I don't have time for that!" Gray yelled back to her.

"It's only noon and you boys are already whining like spoiled babies!" A strong looking man with white hair yelled. Natsu and Gray simultaneously punched him square in the face.

"Kinda noisy around here, huh?" A smooth voice said. The source was a handsome man with glasses and orange hair. Loke. He also had two women in his arms drooling over him. Suddenly, Loke was hit in the forehead with a mug, and Noah let out a laugh.

Loke maintained his cool, smooth appearance despite the embarrassing moment. "I'm gonna go fight, but only to protect you two." He told the girls cooly. Noah rolled his eyes.

"What the heck is wrong with these people? There's not one sane person in the whole place!" The blonde girl exclaimed. Noah smirked. _Well you're right about that, new girl._

A beautiful white haired woman - Mirajane Strauss, covergirl for Fairy Tail in Sorceror Weekly - had gone over to welcome the new girl. The blonde girl looked like she might faint. Mira tended to have that effect on people, including Noah not too long ago. He had been completely drawn to her when she transitioned from her young and rebellious phase. She grew up nicely - extraordinarily kind and gentle - but she could also kick some serious ass. She was an S-class mage afterall. Elfman still held a grudge against Noah, even though Mira was the one who ended the relationship. His protectiveness of his sister tended to outweigh logic.

Everyone started to get serious then, including Cana. Her cards were out and she was ready for a fight. Noah's head was still pounding from his battle with the Lizardmen, so he decided to sit this one out. Before anyone could cause some real damage to the guild hall, the master entered and grew to an unbelievable size - nearly making the new girl faint again - and put an end to the brawl. Natsu started bragging, claiming he won of course, and the master stomped his enlarged foot down onto him to shut him up.

"It looks like we have a new recruit!" The huge beast said.

"Yes sir...!" The new girl replied nervously. The master then shrunk down to his normal, tiny size. The girl was completely dumbstruck. _Well, she handled his Titan magic better than I did when I first saw it_, he thought to himself.

The master then spoke to the entire guild about the pile of complaints from the higher-ups. Apparently, Cana had drank fifteen barrels of alcohol on a job and charged it to the Magic Council.

Noah laughed. "You seriously charged the Magic Council?" She smiled mischeviously.

"I don't remember doing that." She shrugged.

"Sure you don't."

To everyone's surprise, the master then lit the papers on fire and fed them to Natsu. "I say to heck with the magic council!" He said. "Any power that surpasses reason still comes from reason, right? Magic isn't some kind of miraculous power. It is a talent that only works when the flow of energy inside of us and the flow of energy in the natural world are in perfect synchronization. To perform magic, one must have a strong mind and the ability to focus. It should take over your being and come pouring out of your soul! If all we worry about is following rules then our magic will never progress! Don't let those blow hards on the council scare you! Follow the path you believe in!"

Noah crossed his arms over his chest and grinned. Their master was something else. He took a glimpse at the new girl to see her reaction and saw that she was grinning from ear to ear. It made him smile even more.

"Cause that's what makes the fairy tail guild number one!" The master finished. The guild erupted into cheers and laughter.

When the guild hall settled down and Noah finished his beer, he walked over to Mira to let her know his job request was completed. She was giving the new girl her Fairy Tail emblem, so he waited until she was done. The new girl had chosen the color pink and the top of her hand for the emblem. It suited her nicely, and she was completely ecstatic.

"Welcome to Fairy Tail." He said with a smirk, slipping his hands into his pockets. The blonde girl looked over to him and returned the smile.

"Thanks!" She replied, happily.

"Lucy, this is Noah. Noah, Lucy." Mira said.

"Nice to meet you, Lucy." He said as he observed a set of keys on her waist. "Are you a celestial spirit wizard?"

She nodded cheerfully. "You bet!"

Noah suddenly felt a strong arm on his shoulder and smirked.

"What's up, Natsu? Heard you destroyed a port." Noah said to the boy with the cherry blossom colored hair hanging off his shoulder. Natsu grinned widely.

"Yeah, I kinda overdid it."

"Look, Natsu! I got my emblem!" Lucy said.

"Yeah that's nice Luigi..." Natsu muttered. Lucy pouted cutely.

"It's Lucy!"

"So how 'bout a fight, Noah? No way I'm letting you win this one!" Natsu said enthusiastically. He balled his hand into a fist and pounded his palm with it, something he did when he gets fired up.

Noah only smirked. "Maybe tomorrow, man. I'm sore from my last job."

Natsu frowned. "You wimp, you're probably just scared!" He accused.

"Absolutely terrified." Noah replied. He patted Natsu on the shoulder and informed Mira about his successful job request. His head was still pounding, so he decided to go back to his apartment for some rest.

He walked through the streets of Magnolia, staring at the clouds. Everyone always looked down when they walked. Noah made a point of looking up instead. The view was much better, he thought. He walked along the canal near his apartment and waved to the ferrymen before entering his building. He walked carefully and quietly to his room in an effort to avoid the landlady.

Finally inside his apartment, he collapsed on the bed and enjoyed the silence. The springs of the mattress squeaked under the weight. Before he knew it, he had drifted off to sleep.

A sound woke him up hours later. The sun had set while he was unconscious. How long had he slept?

He looked over at the clock on the wall. It read ten forty-five pm. He thought the sound came from next door, but he didn't have any neighbors. His eyelids began to feel heavier again, and eventually he forgot about the sound and fell back asleep.


	2. Chapter 2: Noah the Lionheart

Chapter 2: Noah the Lionheart

Noah, Natsu, Happy, Erza, Gray, and Lucy teamed up again after taking down Lullaby and helping the villagers on Galuna Island. After watching them take down one of Zeref's demons and defeating Lyon, she was really psyched to see them in action again.

Natsu's power was inspiring. His power was fueled by his feelings which was an inexhaustible resource for him. His feelings for his friends and loved ones made him a fierce opponent, even against advanced foes. Noah had told her that he was different from the rest of them. That he gave the guild hope even in the most forlorn situations. He never gave up no matter what. He also told her that he is one of the people he has learned from the most, which greatly shocked her. How could that dimwit teach Noah anything?

Erza was an S-class wizard, and Lucy saw first hand how she had earned that title. She was a force to be reckoned with and downright terrifying at times. Her requips were astonishingly fast and powerful. Lucy believed she could handle any situation that was thrown at her. They called her Titania, Queen of the Fairies.

Gray's ice magic was beautiful but also deadly. His creations were flawless and his attacks were crisp and clean. She could not understand how he could handle such cold temperatures with so little clothing, but it worked for him wonderfully.

She found Noah to be the most interesting to watch. He was an S-class wizard like Erza. He was known as Noah the Lionheart for his courage and bravery. Some just called him the Light Warrior. Towns that he had helped in the past described him as valiant, competent, and generous in interviews from Sorcerer Weekly. Not only did he use requip magic like Erza, he also used light magic. She particularly liked his Speed of Light spell, which allowed him to move at incredible speeds. He became nothing but a blur of light as he dodged his opponent's attacks, but the glow it left behind was remarkably beautiful. It reminded her of an angel.

His combination of requip and light magic was unbelievably efficient and deadly. The determined scowl on his face when he fought gave her goosebumps. He swung giant blades made of heavy metal with ease, and swords made of light with precision. She'd never seen anything like it before.

The armor he used to fight Lullaby was pitch black and rather light. Erza had mentioned that he prefers lightweight armor over heavyweight. He takes harder hits but his speed makes up for the lack of defense. Not that he didn't have heavily defensive armor as well. This particular armor he called his Nightfall armor. He then requipped dual blades: one he called Oathkeeper, the other Oblivion. Combined with his Speed of Light spell, he was virtually unstoppable. He must have hit Lullaby hundreds of times in a matter of seconds.

He also happened to be her new neighbor.

_Flashback_

_Lucy had just woken up from a much needed nap. She had finally finished unpacking from her move into her new apartment. She loved her new home. It wasn't as luxurious as the Heartfilia mansion, but she found it to be cozy and affordable. Money had never been an issue for her before; better she learn the value of a jewel now rather than later though. _

_She stretched and summoned Plue for some company. He shook from head to toe awkwardly but cute nonetheless. She walked over to the window to open it and let some fresh air in when she noticed Noah walking near her building._

Weird, why's he here? _She thought to herself. She soon realized that he wasn't just taking a stroll: he had a destination. And it was her apartment building! Was he here to see her? Her mind began to spin. Thoughts collided with each other as she tried to understand why he would be here. He was definitely here to see her. But why? Was it something guild related? Or something more?_

_She blushed uncontrollably as she considered the second option. She hardly knew him, but it wasn't hard to see that he was ridiculously handsome. He had short mocha colored hair that he liked to spike up in the front. It was a casual, common look, but he somehow managed to make it look better than usual. He had blue eyes and a strong build that would make any girl fawn over him, and a razor sharp jawline. She could already see that something had happened between him and Mirajane, but whatever happened was over now. He was quiet, but his personality began to shine when he was around his friends. She had read about him in Sorcerer Weekly many times. He was one of the fan favorites. _

_He walked into the building and she mentally prepared herself. What was she doing? She needed to physically prepare herself, she had just woken up from a nap! She frantically ran over to the mirror on her dresser to fix her hair when she heard footsteps coming up the stairs. She waited patiently for a knock on the door, but it never came. Had he come to see someone else? Her mood instantly deflated, to her surprise. She peeked out of the peephole on her door but found nothing. She opened the door and looked down the hallway in both directions. The door leading to the apartment next to hers suddenly opened, and Noah appeared, carrying a book in one hand. He looked over to her and raised an eyebrow._

_"Hey, what're you doing here?" he asked with an amused smirk._

_"I just moved in here." she replied. His smile grew exponentially. _

_"Cool, I guess that makes us neighbors."_

* * *

><p>After Lullaby was defeated, Natsu and Happy stole an S-class job request on a cursed island. Lucy had tagged along, and Gray was sent to retrieve them but ended up joining as well for personal reasons. When they arrived, they found the villagers were transformed into demon-like creatures when the moon was visible. An investigation ensued, and they came to realize that an old friend and rival of Gray's, Lyon, was planning to free and defeat one of Zeref's demons who had been frozen in ice.<p>

Lucy was facing off against a girl named Sherry Blendy, one of Lyon's dedicated followers. She managed to defeat her, but at the last moment, Sherry called forth her giant rat, Angelica. Lucy was unable to move. When it seemed her death was imminent, a flash of light appeared, and Noah slashed the problemsome rodent down with a giant blade. Her heart skipped a beat as his figure appeared in front of her, the light from his spell dissipating, with a scowl on his face. He had requipped into his speed enhancing Gaius Armor: a blue sleeveless top with navy colored pants, a cloth wrapped around his midsection, a sheathe over his chest, daggers attached to this outside of his boots, and black vambraces with an optional knife blade on the back of them.

Her heart stopped completely when she saw that Erza was with him.

_Flashback_

_Erza was holding Happy upside down by the tail. He had tried to escape her wrath when he found her with Lucy, to no avail._

_"Now where is Natsu?" She asked calmly, but terrifying. Noah sheathed his blade and requipped back into a more comfortable outfit: a white long sleeve shirt and black jeans. He looked over at Lucy and smirked. She returned the smile, bursting with gratefulness._

_She started to explain herself. "Listen, I'm sorry we came here without permission, but some really awful things have been happening on this island. There's this guy and his minions who are trying to revive a frozen demon! And the island's villagers are suffering because of this magic spell they're using. They turned into monsters! We just thought... If we worked together we might be able to help them."_

_Noah listened intently and decided right then and there what he would do. Erza, however, was a different story._

_"None of that is my concern." She stated._

_"Please Erza, let us finish this job! We can't leave things this way!" Lucy exclaimed. Erza suddenly drew her blade on Lucy, to Noah's surprise. _

_"Erza." He said calmly. He hadn't meant to speak. It came out as a warning. She ignored him._

_"I don't think you understand. The three of you have betrayed Master Makarov. You'll be lucky if you walk away with your lives." Erza said coldly._

_Lucy looked beyond frightened. Noah took this chance to step in. "Don't you think you're being a little dramatic, Erza. Lucy's right, we can't leave things the way they are. Fairy Tail came to help them, we can't just abandon the villagers now. Especially not after all they've done." He said persuasively, flashing Lucy a reassuring smile. She blushed under the gaze of his blue eyes. It was all in vain, as Erza firmly stood by the order she was given._

_The next morning Gray woke up after a particularly difficult battle with Lyon which resulted in defeat. Erza demanded that they find Natsu and then go back to the guild. Gray refused._

_"We can't leave the island just yet!" He exclaimed. "If Lucy filled you in then you know exactly what these villagers are going through right now!"_

_"And what would be your point?" She asked._

_Gray was stunned by her seemingly lack of compassion. That was not a normal trait of Fairy Tail guild members. They were about as compassionate and righteous and they came. _

_"Noah and I came here solely to apprehend these fools for breaking the rules of the guild. I'm not interested in anything other than that." Erza continued. _

_"Rules?! Have you even seen what's happened to the people on this island?" Gray exclaimed angrily._

_"I have." Erza said._

_"And you're still just gonna turn your back on them?" _

_"Their request is posted on the boards of every guild hall. The villagers would be better served by wizards who are cleared for S-class. You're not qualified." _

_"How can you be so heartless?" Gray inquired._

_That got her mad. "What did you say?" _

_"That's no way to speak to the great Erza!" Happy exclaimed desperately._

_"You suck-up." Lucy muttered._

_"Have you chosen to defy the guild's rules as well?" She drew her sword on Gray. "You will face the same punishment."_

_Gray then took the edge of the blade and pointed it at the emblem on his chest, daring her. "Do what you must. For me there's no other choice to be made. I can't walk away from what I know is right."_

_Erza was obviously shaken by the defiant behavior. Not many people defied her and lived to tell about it. Gray walked away from the sword. Lucy noticed Noah smiling ever so slightly, a look in his eyes she had yet to see. Pride? Inspiration? Had he actually been planning on leaving this job unfinished and abandoning the villagers? She didn't think he would be capable of that. From the interviews she read about him, he seemed like an honest and kind person but with a hint of rebellion. He didn't appear to be the kind of person to walk away from a situation like this. His smile from Gray's words reassured her of that. She knew then that he would stand by them. _

_"I'm seeing this through to the end. And you can't stop me." Gray said as a matter of factly and walked out of the tent._

_"I think that settles that." Noah said. Erza glared at him and he smirked. "I know you want to help too, Erza. You never turn your back on people who need you." She groaned, annoyed._

_"These events are intolerable. We'll deal with the immediate problem for now." She decided._

_Lucy and Happy rejoiced and thanked her. Noah swung his arm over Erza's shoulders and grinned from ear to ear. "I guess you're not as scary as you thought." Noah joked._

_"Oh no, she's definitely still scary." Lucy proposed. _

_Noah looked at her and flashed her a tilted smile, one corner of his mouth rising into a smile she could only describe as flawless. "I guess you're just brave then."_

Present

After their adventure on Galuna Island, there was a silent agreement between them all: they were a team. They decided to go on another job together. Lucy wasn't nearly as powerful as them, but she would make sure that she pulled her weight on this job. She didn't want to seem weak to them.

Their job was in a city called Arcadia. They were to capture and bring in a dangerous thief that was a member of a mysterious new dark guild. The criminal had information the authorities of the town needed for the Magic Council, so they were to bring him in alive and restrained. The reward was one million jewel due to the difficulty the local knights had with the man and his overwhelming magic. It is said that he could use gravity altering magic as well as transformation magic. When they did manage to find him, he would alter gravity to escape and transform yet again. He had progressed from robbing people, to breaking in to houses, to emptying out banks.

"Doin' okay, Natsu?" Noah asked.

"Uuuughhh..." Natsu groaned. Noah smirked and slapped him on the back.

"Don't worry buddy, we'll be there soon." He said, his words laced with mock enthusiasm. Natsu groaned sickly in response.

"You're pathetic, Natsu." Gray retorted. Normally Natsu would've angrily replied, but all he could manage was another groan of agony.

A half an hour later, the train came to a halt. They had reached the town of Irondale, known for its large amount of iron ore mines and its famous Irondale Icecream. Arcadia was a few miles walking distance from Irondale. It was getting late, so they would have to find a place to stay in Irondale or camp out. It was a breezy summer day, so they chose to camp out for the night on their way to Arcadia and enjoy the beautiful night.

It was late now, and everyone was asleep. Almost everyone. Noah looked over at Lucy from across the fire and smiled, showing off his glistening white teeth. His brown hair was matted to his forehead instead of spiked up like it usually was, and the light from the fire was reflecting off of his blue eyes. Lucy studied his strong jawline, and then further down to his muscular arms. He filled out his shirt nicely, she noticed. His medium length brown hair was usually kept nice and tidy, but today it was messy and stuck up in places. Despite this, he still looked absurdly handsome.

"Do you know the constellations?" He asked suddenly. She blushed and shook away her embarrassing thoughts.

"Not many." She admitted. She was a celestial spirit wizard and she didn't even know where the constellations were, he must've thought she was an idiot.

"I found an astronomy book at the guild when I was younger." He stated with a shrug. He then pointed up towards the sky and smirked. "Around this time of year we should be able to see Gemini and Taurus." He traced paths with his finger into the night sky, but she couldn't follow from where she was. He realized this and came over to her. He laid his sleeping back next to hers and sat down, holding out his hand. She hesitantly, but happily, gave it to him.

His hand was warm and rough, probably from wielding weapons frequently. Her hand was smooth and fit nicely in his. He studied the pink emblem on top of her hand, then looked back up at the sky with a concentrated look on his face. His eyebrows furrowed as he studied the night sky.

He took her pointed finger and traced the constellations for her. They connected the brilliant stars in the sky like dots on paper. He then moved his head near hers to see her line of sight more clearly.

"There's Taurus' horns..." He said, quietly. She could feel his breath on her cheek, making her blush. She felt a shiver go down her spine. He slowly moved her hand and connected the rest of the stars for her. He showed her Taurus and then moved on to the other zodiacs that were visible. Together they found Taurus the Bull, Gemini the Twins, and Perseus the Hero.

"Here's my favorite though." He helped her point out three bright, distinct stars all in a row. "The Hunter, Orion. These three stars make up Orion's Belt." He moved her hand upward slowly. "Here's his head... And here's his club. And over here's his shield. And then these constellations behind him are his hunting dogs, Canis Minor and Canis Major. So technically, Plue is actually Orion's hunting dog." He said and chuckled. She grinned at the thought of it.

"Thank you. For showing me these. I guess I should know them, being a celestial spirit wizard and all." She said shyly. He let go of her hand and smiled at her.

"Not necessarily. It takes a special kind of mage to be a celestial spirit wizard. There's no rule that says you have to know the constellations. Hell, I use light magic and I don't know anything about it besides the fact it helps us see at night." He replied, flashing her a shy smile.

She felt her the corner of her lips pull up in a smile reflexively. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Thanks."

She yawned and he took that as a sign to let her get some rest. In reality, she would have stayed up all night looking at the stars with Noah. He fell asleep soon after, and she watched his body rise and fall with each breath he took. She wondered if he was dreaming. She then began to wonder what he dreamed about in general. She wondered if he dreamt about the stars or fighting against formidable foes like he did in real life. She then moved her eyes down from his face to his shoulder where she could see a dark blue Fairy Tail emblem peeking out from the sleeve of his shirt. She smiled at her own emblem and closed her eyes. She drifted off to sleep and dreamt of bright stars and wandering fairies. He dreamt of the possible adventures that awaited him in the morning.

* * *

><p>"Let's get moving." A strong female voice bellowed. Lucy's eyes sprung open. The first sight she saw was Noah sitting up in his sleeping bag next to her, his hair even messier than yesterday. He looked at her and smirked.<p>

"Morning." He greeted.

"Good morning." She replied.

"Ready to take down some dark guild creep?" He asked as he stood up and stretched. He requipped into clean cloths: a blue button down shirt and black jeans.

"You bet!" She exclaimed.

They packed up and started their hike towards Arcadia. It was much hotter than yesterday. The cool breeze was gone and there wasn't a cloud in sight. Happy and Natsu flew ahead to try and obtain some leads in Arcadia.

"I'm gonna go ahead too, in case Natsu gets distracted." Noah said. One moment he was there, the next he wasn't. He had once again used the Speed of Light spell that fascinated her so. A trail of light was all he left behind, and in seconds, that was gone too. There was no trace that he had ever been here.

"The light he uses is beautiful." Lucy mentioned. Erza smiled.

"That's nothing." She replied. Lucy wondered what she meant by that.

She couldn't begin to imagine what other spells he had learned over the years. The more she learned about Noah, the more she believed he was unbeatable. Maybe Erza could take him down, but they'd be pretty evenly matched. They would most likely destroy the entire city first.

They arrived in Arcadia about an hour later. Noah, Natsu, and Happy were waiting for them near the entrance of the town. Natsu dozing off; Noah leaning against a wall, arms crossed and face tilted upwards toward the clouds.

"Any leads on this guy?" Gray asked. Noah and Natsu shrugged.

"Not anything we don't already know." Noah said, a hint of disappointment in his voice. "I did talk to one girl who claimed that the thief was a woman, but it's not all that reliable." He added.

"Why's that?" Erza inquired. Noah smiled in response.

"She may have been a bit tipsy. I met her at the tavern."

Erza sighed and started to strategize. "We'll bait him, or her. It's the only way we'll be able to locate him. He's a needle in a haystack right now. He could be anyone." She suggested.

Natsu nodded. "The thief will come straight to us!" He pounded his fist into the palm of his hand. "I'm getting fired up now! Bring it on you dark guild creep!"

Gray sighed. "There haven't been reports of this guy robbing people in weeks. He's moved on to bigger targets: banks, safes, mansions. He's not gonna waste his time robbing a pink haired idiot." Gray stated.

"What'd you say?!" Natsu grunted and pushed his forehead against Gray's angrily.

"You heard me flame-brain!" He shot back.

"You looking for an ass-beating ice boy?!" Natsu shouted.

Erza put them both out of commission with a single blow. Noah and Lucy both cringed. "Ouch." They said in unison.

Noah's brow furrowed. "What if our bait was rich and famous? That could get his attention."

"Who do we know that's rich and famous, huh?" Natsu inquired.

Noah shrugged. "We pretend. Put on a show. One of us walks around town, shopping and whatnot. Show off some serious jewel. Just appear rich, ya know? Maybe have a couple of us running up to him for autographs to make it convincing."

"It's worth a shot." Erza replied. "But who will be our celebrity impersonator?"

* * *

><p>"I wasn't volunteering!" Noah argued.<p>

"It was your idea..." Erza explained. She was pushing him towards an inn. There they would give Noah a makeover and stay as long as the job demanded. It was possible he might be recognized, Fairy Tail was a famous guild after all, and the S-class wizards were admired by the public. Lucy was looking forward to this.

He flopped onto the couch of their hotel room, pouting. "Somehow I know I'm gonna regret every moment of this job." He stated. Lucy chuckled.

"Stop whining, this will be fun!" She said.

He looked up at her and pouted some more. "Maybe for you guys!" He exclaimed. "Just don't make me look stupid."

Natsu, Happy, and Gray came in shortly after with their supplies.

"We got everything on your list, Erza!" Natsu shouted. He and Happy saluted her jokingly. Noah smirked, despite his unappealing circumstance.

Erza began sifting through the bag. "First, your hair. It's a mess." She pulled out a comb and began weaving it through his hair rather roughly.

"Ow! Erza! I can do my own hair!" He shouted. He stood up and stomped towards the bathroom. Eventually the shower turned on and they could hear the sound of running water.

"Maybe we should take it a little easy on him." Lucy suggested with a laugh.

Erza chuckled. "I'm only teasing him. He's cute when he's angry isn't he?" Lucy blushed. She was right. The scowl on his face when he was angry or fighting strangely suited him. She shook away the thought.

Noah returned minutes later, his medium length dark brown hair wet and matted to his forehead. "Do your thing I guess."

"Gray. Natsu. Happy. Go look for more leads. By the time you get back, Noah will be a totally different person. You won't even recognize him." Erza said proudly.

Gray shot him a sympathetic look. "Good luck man."

"Thanks, Gray. I think I'll need it."

They left Noah at the mercy of Lucy and Erza.

The girls took turns styling his hair. They agreed on a spiky, punk look. It was more spiky than his usual hairstyle, but he didn't mind it. He slipped on a magic ring that could change his hair color and decided on blue. He pushed the gem on the ring and his hair slowly transitioned from brown to a dark blue.

"Okay, now you're clothes." Erza said.

"What's wrong with the clothes I have on?" He asked, confused.

"They're... Plain. Boring. You're a celebrity. You need to dress like one." Erza said, smiling mischievously.

Noah raised an eyebrow. "I think you're having too much fun with this."

The girls forcefully pushed him into the bathroom with the outfit Natsu and Gray had bought for him. He felt the leather and immediately hated it.

When he came out of the bathroom, he was virtually unrecognizeable. His hair was now spiky and navy blue. Sunglasses covered his eyes, and he had a fake earring in one of his ears and his eyebrow. His friends had picked out gray leather pants that looked almost metallic and a white t-shirt with a skull design on it. Over the shirt he was to wear black leather jacket. Erza finished it off with a studded belt that had a buckle in the shape of a skull.

"There, now you look like a famous rockstar."

Noah smirked. "I might keep this look." He joked.

"The leather's a bit uncomfortable though." He added as he attempted to adjust himself. Lucy blushed when she realized her gaze had drifted downwards.

Natsu, Gray, and Happy returned a short while later. Erza made them close their eyes before they saw Noah. "Natsu, Gray, Happy. meet Jay Holloway: famous guitarist and singer." They opened their eyes and chuckled at Noah's new appearance.

"Wow, you weren't kidding, Erza. I'd never think that was Noah!" Gray said, chuckling.

"You look like a gang member, man." Natsu said.

Natsu, Lucy, Erza, and Gray each had a ring of their own. They wanted to play it safe. If they were going to be interacting with Noah, they couldn't risk being recognized as guild members.

Lucy became a brunette, Erza a blonde, Gray a redhead, and Natsu chose jet black. Lucy slipped on some gloves to hide her guild emblem. They put a wallet filled to the brim with all the jewel they had on them in Noah's back pocket. They were officially ready for action.

They took different positions throughout the town. He'd stop near Natsu and Happy first, then Gray, then finish his fake shopping spree at Erza and Lucy's location. Hopefully by then, the thief will have noticed him.

He strolled through the streets of Arcadia as casual as he could, although he felt beyond awkward out in public dressed like this. He got a few weird looks and even a few winks from women who obviously liked the bad boy look. He came upon a marketplace, their first rendezvous point, where he noticed Happy and Natsu stuffing their faces with various foods. Natsu saw him, went back to his food, then did a double take as he remembered the mission. The guy was so focused on his food that he actually forgot about the job for a moment!

"No way!" He shouted, then ran over to Noah. Happy gasped overdramatically and flew over as well, a fish in his mouth. "Jay Holloway! You rock man! Can I get your autograph! Happy! We need paper pronto, buddy!" He continued.

"Aye sir!" Happy landed and sifted through his backpack until he found a crumpled receipt and a pen. Natsu had effectively gotten everyone's attention in the plaza. Noah shrugged.

"Sure thing." He said coolly. He scribbled on the piece of paper and took out his wallet, making sure he took out jewel for everyone to see. He bought a hotdog and "accidentally" dropped some jewel. He was making it overly obvious for the thief. A few others came up for his autograph as well, thinking he actually was a famous rockstar. He spotted Natsu and Happy laughing on a bench nearby at the display and smirked.

Later on that day he came across Gray at a clothing boutique. Ironic that he was shopping for clothes as if he wore any. Gray spotted him and ran over.

"Jay Holloway?! What's up, dude! You totally killed it at your concert the other night!" Gray exclaimed. He wasn't as loud as Natsu, but it did the trick. Everyone shopping at the boutique and the surrounding shops glanced their way. Noah felt like a specimen under a microscope.

"Thanks." He said curtly.

"The girls were throwing their bras on stage and everything, you must get a lot of action man!" Gray was holding back a laugh. His friends were having too much fun with this acting. Noah blushed instinctively and smirked.

"You know it." He said with fake confidence.

"Think you can spot me some concert tickets? I love your music!"

"Don't push it, bro." Noah said with a smirk and gave Gray a fist bump. He didn't shop for clothes often - usually it was armor or swords he looked for - but he noticed a gray shirt with an interesting design on it. He bought it, showed off the jewel once more, then departed.

The sun was starting to set when he finally reached Lucy and Erza at a park. They were sitting on the edge of a fountain, talking and laughing. Lucy threw her head back in laughter and he smiled. They were so caught up in their conversation that they hadn't noticed him arrive. He decided to deviate from the plan and approach them himself.

He walked over to them with an overconfident stride.

Lucy saw a flash of blue out of the corner of her eye. She looked over and saw Noah approaching them with a swagger that was very unlike him. He had a certain way of carrying himself. It was confident, but still laid back, like he didn't have a care in the world. She could tell he was trying to walk like Jay Holloway would, but it came out awkward and odd-looking. She couldn't help but giggle. Luckily, that's what a love struck fan would do in this situation as well.

"Hello ladies." He said smoothly. He tried to mimic Loke's voice. It didn't turn out well. An idea occurred to him as he was talking to the girls. An idea that would allow him to show off his money and appear like a narcissistic celebrity. It would be extremely degrading though, and the words felt like acid on his tongue.

He immediately regretted it.

He took out his wallet and flashed the jewel in his black leather wallet for a third and final time. "How much?" He said flirtatiously and winked.

Erza slammed her fist down on his head and he fell flat to the ground.

"I was...joking..." He managed to mutter, his vision starting to blur. Lucy held back her laughter as she began to walk off with a furious Erza back towards the inn.

After the incident in the park with no run-ins with the thief, Noah was beginning to lose hope. Perhaps the thief had moved on to another town? Or maybe Gray was right and he simply didn't waste his time on individual targets, no matter how wealthy they appeared.

_Stupid Erza, can't she take a joke? I was acting_! He thought to himself as he rubbed his head. He knew it would hurt in the morning. He was tired of being Jay. They'd have to come up with a different idea tonight, because there was no way he would be walking around this town again looking like a fool.

_To the left._ He sensed the force before he felt it. His mind processed it before his body did. An alteration in gravity, and it was coming straight for him. No, it was already there.

He was pushed into a dark alley and fell to the ground from the force. It felt like a pile of weights were stacked on top of his back. A figure hidden in the shadows appeared, his outline barely visible. The figure stepped forward and removed his wallet from his back pocket. It was then that he noticed the figure had a large, busty chest and a curvaceous body. His lead was right, it was in fact a woman.

"Wow, I'd thought there'd be more jewel in here the way you were flashing it around." A snarky female voice said.

He struggled to get his hand up to attack, but his palm remained facedown on the cobblestone. The force was simply too overwhelming. Luckily he had his light magic.

He used his Speed of Light spell to escape the force bearing down on him. He then aimed his palms at his opponent. "Luminohelix!" He shouted. Rays of light in the shape of a helix shot out from his hands and hit the thief head on. She flew back onto the ground and grunted.

"Ugh... That hurt. A mage, huh? Didn't see that one coming. How'd you escape my gravity altering magic?" She muttered. He could see now that she was around his age, maybe younger. She wore a black cloak and the hood flew back to reveal her long blonde hair that was tied in a braid.

Noah kept his hands up, palms faced towards her, ready to attack. "Light doesn't have a mass. It's not easily affected by gravity." He explained. "I'm gonna have to take you in."

"No dinner first?"

"Afraid not."

"I'm just getting started." She spat.

"Good. So am I."

In one quick motion, the girl had pulled out a bow and arrow and shot it with extreme speed and precision. By the time Noah realized he was being shot at, he had no time to requip or cast a spell. He leaned back, his head barely missing the arrow. _This girl aims to kill me, damn dark guilds._

She shot another arrow, but he was ready this time. "Light shield!" A barrier of light appeared before him, protecting him. Or so he thought. The arrow pierced his shield and went straight through. He felt a stab in his shoulder and realized he'd been hit. Blood began to ooze from the wound as he pulled the arrow out. _Magic piercing arrows?_

"Courtesy of the dark guild Rogue Sinner." She stated.

"Rogue Sinner, eh? Cool name. It's got a rebellious sound to it. Too bad I'm gonna have to cut off their money supply." He replied as he slid the ring off his finger. "You haven't seen anything yet." He requipped into his favorite armor. It was simple and light, but protective. The armor covered the vital areas, but still allowed flexibility. Now that he was himself, he felt ready for a serious fight.

"Huh. You're actually pretty cute. Too bad you're my opponent." She said and winked.

"Sorry, I have standards." He said with a smirk. He could hear her teeth grind from where he stood. She shot arrow after arrow at him, her gravity magic rendered unusable and her transformation magic useless in a fight. He brought forth his blades of light and darkness: dual blades that covered for each other's weaknesses. He cut down the arrows and charged her. He swung each blade but she somehow managed to dodge every slash. Her reactions were extremely precise and fast. It was as if she knew where he would swing his blade before even he knew. She jabbed her fist into his side, quick and hard. He swung his blade once more, but she stopped it with her arm. The sword hit with a metallic ring. A magic bracelet or vambrace was underneath her cloak, he realized. She jabbed her fists into his other side rapidly a few more times before she ran out of the alley. It felt like she might have broken a rib or two. Her fists were much too hard to be only flesh. She must have been wearing brass knuckles. She was definitely well equipped.

He sent his swords back and ran after her, clutching his side. It was dark but he could barely make out the figure running away. The body transformed from a small, slender figure to a bulky, muscular one. She had transformed yet again. He had to speed up.

"Noah!" A female voice shouted. He glanced behind him to see Erza and Lucy chasing after him. They must have been nearby when the girl attacked him and were now providing backup.

"I found her, but she transformed! I'm going ahead!" He shouted back. He used his speed of light spell once again and pushed the girl - now a middle aged man - into the soft grass. They had ended up in the park along the edge of a calm, flowing river.

The hit had transformed her back, and they tumbled down a hill and into the river. Noah quickly requipped into his Kaiser armor, which increased his power when he was in a water environment, as he tried to stand up in the shallow water. He summoned his Ice Blade and thrust the blade into the water, effectively freezing the river despite the warm weather in an attempt to stop her in her tracks. The girl noticed this, took out a wire with a carabiner attached to the end of it, and swung it over a tree branch to escape.

Lucy and Erza had finally caught up. Natsu, Happy, and Gray were nowhere to be found, probably back at the inn missing all the action. Natsu would be upset.

Noah withdrew his blade and sent it back as the water began to unfreeze. "Open, gate of the water bearer! Aquarius!" Lucy shouted. She thrust her key into the river, and her celestial spirit, Aquarius, appeared. She looked quite angry. Aquarius was giving Lucy a hard time again, which was no surprise. She launched an attack at the girl, but not before sweeping Lucy and Noah up in it as well. It hit the girl and they were all swept downriver.

The river turned from a calm, relaxing flow to a strong current. Noah had trouble keeping his head above the water as he was thrust against rock after rock. Eventually the current slowed as they reached the mouth of the river and Noah dragged himself on the shore, Lucy close behind.

"That's some spirit you got there." He muttered, coughing up water. He requipped into dry clothes. "You alright?"

Lucy nodded. "Sorry about that."

He smirked at her. "Don't apologize. We've got her right where we want her." He stood up and watched the girl as she pulled herself onto a rock. She jumped to another and tried to make her way to the opposite shore.

"Lucy, I need you to pin her. She's too fast for me in close combat." She nodded, knowing she had just the spirit to do it. He brought his hands together, one on top of the other, and pointed his pointer and middle finger upwards.

"Open! Gate of the Archer! Sagitarius!" A man in a horse costume appeared. Noah closed his eyes and began the incantation of his most powerful spell.

"Hyperion, Apollo, Theia...Alectrona, Eos, and Heracles. I call upon thee..." He muttered.

"Sagitarius, when she reaches the shore, shoot an arrow and pin her to the tree!" Lucy said.

"Lend me your light. Unleash the radiance of the heavens and the cosmos..." He continued.

"Alright, mushi-mushi!" The arrow cut through the air, directly through the girl's shirt, and into the tree the moment her feet touched land. She was pinned.

Noah's eyes sprang open, the tiniest of light flickering in his blue eyes. "Vanquish the darkness. Aurora Storm!" The hand on top balled into a fist and shot forward. Lights of green, yellow, red, and blue shot out from his hands with tremendous force. They were unlike any lights she had ever seen. They possessed an ominous glow and were absolutely beautiful. Lucy studied the expression on his face: that notorious scowl and furrowed brows. His wet hair was blown back by the force of his attack. The attack hit the girl directly and she was down for the count. The area around her body was decimated.

He rubbed his hand through his hair and grinned. "Nice shot." He said.

Lucy was still staring at the scene before her. "That was amazing." She finally managed.

He smirked at her. "Thanks, but I couldn't have done that without you. I don't think I could've made that shot." He admitted.

She blushed. "It's not like I did anything... I just summoned Sagittarius. He made the shot." Noah shrugged.

"You did it as a team. Don't be modest." He said as he looked up at the sky. "It's getting late, we'll probably stay here for one more night. Let's take her back and turn her in." Lucy noticed he was holding his side and blood was running down his arm. The girl had put up a fight.

"What happened to you?" She asked, concerned.

"I think she broke a rib. And she shot me with an arrow. It went right through my light shield." He declared. Lucy was taken aback.

"Doesn't it hurt?"

He smirked and shrugged. "I've had worse. You should've seen Natsu and I when we came back from this one job..."

Together they tied up the thief and walked back to town. He told her about some of the numerous adventures he and his Fairy Tail friends had gone on. He told her about how he was hospitalized for a week with Natsu after they had enraged a mother Gorian Vulcan on accident. Natsu had almost driven him insane in the guild infirmary that week, he said with a grin. He told her about his frequent spars with Laxus as a kid and the day he finally beat him. However, he said that he doubted he could beat him now. Lucy wasn't so sure after what she had seen.

He told her about the time he and Gray accidentally destroyed a dam during a job and were run out of the town. And about the time he challenged Cana to a drinking match and felt sick for days afterword. He couldn't recall a single moment of that night, but he knew he had fun.

"So how'd you end up joining Fairy Tail?" She asked him. He looked at her and she could feel herself begin to blush under his gaze. He smiled, as if he was aware of the effect he had on her, and worst of all - was enjoying it. Or maybe it was just her imagination.

"It's a long story. Maybe another time."

Erza was waiting for them at the edge of the town. She greeted them warmly with the thief in custody. The authorities took the unconscious girl to the local jail for questioning and the team was handsomely rewarded.

"We missed everything!" Natsu groaned. Gray pouted in the corner as well.

"We didn't get to do shit. We can't take any of that reward." Gray said.

"What're you talking about? You guys fooled her. She fell for our trap because of all of you." Noah replied.

"Noah's right. This was a team effort. Furthermore, this was a good fighting experience for Lucy." Erza stated. They continued to pout as the evening turned to night. They all celebrated with food and booze.

His comrades fell asleep one by one like falling dominoes until it was once again only Noah and Lucy. He was drunk and happy she noticed, as was she. They wrapped his arm in bandages after the bleeding subsided. The alcohol helped with the pain, but she doubt he even felt it. They whispered to each other in the dimly lit room.

"How did you end up at Fairy Tail? I know Natsu brought you, but he said you had already planned on trying to join. Why?" He whispered to her and hiccuped. She laughed softly.

"I asked you first." She reminded him. He sighed and leaned back in the armchair he occupied as he closed his eyes. For a moment she thought he fell asleep as she watched him, waiting. His deep voice startled her as he slurred his words a bit. She smiled, amused.

"I was around eight or nine. I didn't plan on becoming a wizard. I wanted to be a Rune Knight." He chuckled at the old dream of his. Lucy laid her face in her hand and smiled, imagining Noah as a kid. She imagined him in his backyard swinging a wooden sword around and fighting nonexistent enemies. He opened his eyes and smirked at her as he continued.

"I was a brat. Always getting into trouble. Didn't care about anything. My mom never got angry though. She was so kind and forgiving. I could've broken her favorite belonging in the world and she would've apologized to _me." _He continued. It must have been a fond memory of his, because his smile grew and his body relaxed noticeably. It didn't last long though.

"My dad was a Rune Knight and I wanted to be just like him. He was more strict with me, but I admired him too much to care. He'd come home from work, dirty and all scratched up, and I'd be waiting for him to ask him all about his day and what he did."

He smiled sadly and she frowned. He continued, "My grandpa Rob was a member of Fairy Tail. He taught me about magic. Master Makarov was good friends with him."

"So that's how you joined?" She asked. He shook his head.

"No. Not quite." He paused. She waited.

"My grandpa disappeared. One day he was just gone. He didn't come home. We didn't know what happened. We checked the guild hall, infirmaries, everywhere in Magnolia. Then everywhere around Magnolia. The Rune Knights found nothing, and neither did Fairy Tail. He was just gone. My dad was devastated. And about a month later, he went to go look for him. I haven't heard from him since. It's been 12 years now."

Lucy didn't know what to say. What did someone say in this kind of situation?

"I'm... I'm so sorry." She said.

He smiled sadly at her attempt and continued. "My mom died a few months after my dad left. I didn't have any other family or ways to support myself, so I started to steal from people. Then I saw the master one day. He looked like a weak old man to me, but damn it all if he didn't see me coming. He said he could sense my magic power. He asked me my name and put the pieces together. He took me in. That's how I joined. I joined Fairy Tail because I was a lost kid with no where to go and it was one of the best things that could've happen to me." He said.

His sad smile was gone, replaced with a cheerful grin. He closed his eyes as his breathing became slower and steadier. "Fairy Tail... is the best family I could have asked for..." He mumbled as he drifted off to sleep.

Lucy watched silently as the mighty Noah the Lionheart, Warrior of Light, faded into unconsciousness. She fell asleep thinking that he didn't look nearly as mighty in his sleep.


End file.
